The Los Angeles Times from Los Angeles, California • 130

GAMES EVENTS PEOPLE SECTION SPORTS SUNDAY SAN DIEGO COUNTY Cos Angeles (Times DECEMBER 24, 1989 CCt HIGHLIGHTS Butts Searches for Daylight, Shuns Nightlife Jh San Diego County You can call him Eric, or you can call him Erich, or you can call him Wolfman. But you don't have to call the Sockers' new assistant. Erich Geyer, timid. CI SUPER CHARGER: Rookie running back Marion Butts has been discovered, but the only prime time he's interested in is on the football field or his TV set at home. CI CHARGERS: A season with few highlights and many lowlights comes to an end today at San Diego Jack Murphy Stadium against the AFC West Division champion Denver Broncos.

C8 BASKETBALL PREVIEW: Last year, El Camino High School won the Avocado League by three games. This year's Wildcats should face a challenge from at least three contenders. C13A COLLEGE BASKETBALL Colgate 91. USIU 88 C13A Idaho95.UCSD54C13B Elsewhere NBA SCORES Phoenix 104, Clippers 104 C2 New York 94, New Jersey 85 Denver 135, Miami 104 Detroit 106, Orlando 100 Milwaukee 94, Minnesota 90 Dallas 102. Sacramento 95 San Antonio 115, Utah 98 Indiana 98, Seattle 95 Roundup C12 By DON PATTERSON SAN DIEGO-Marion Butts can do without the glitter.

He can do without prime time, flashing cash, a big splash and talkin' trash. He likes to keep it simple. "In my spare time I just go home and watch television," Butts says. "And that's it" Butts, a 6-foot-1, 248-pound rookie running back for the Chargers, is being careful not to get caught up in all of the commotion surrounding his recent success. He rushed for a season-high 176 yards in 39 carries in the Chargers' 20-13 victory over Kansas City last Sunday.

That was 10 more times than he carried the ball during his senior year at Florida State. Everybody took notice. The word is out You'd think he was dating Donna Rice or something. People are now asking Charger Coach Dan Henning about Butts. People are asking each other about Butts.

People are asking Butts about Butts. Karl Mecklenburg, All-Pro defensive end for the Denver Broncos, is saying: "I think he's going to be a good running back in the league for a long time. We've got our work cut out trying to stop him." Denver visits San Diego to play the Chargers today. The Broncos defense hasn't allowed a runner to go over 100 yards all season. "Work cut out" from a guy like Mecklenburg, who plays for a defense like that is high praise.

What's next for Butts? A swelled head? Ask Henning. "This guy," Henning says, "is the most unaffected pure and simple football player, with very little, if any, airs about what he is or what he's not He likes to play football. And he isn't a guy that gets all caught up in himself." So when somebody approaches Butts and asks him to sign an autograph, he doesn't stand there thinking: "Gee, what a great guy I am." "You don't really think about it" he says. "You just write. Because if you let stuff like that go to your head, you're going to stop performing.

"Person wants an autograph? Hey, I sign it It don't hurt Everybody likes publicity. But you can't let it swell your head, because then you'll feel comfortable. And you never should feel comfortable in football." Smart thinking for a rookie. Strange how so many budding stars start to feel comfortable, forgetting all they went through on the way to the top floor. A kid might have the same friends for years, and then he grows up and becomes a star in the NFL and doesn't associate with them anymore.

Butts sees it happen. He says it won't happen to him. Fleas set BUTTS, C13B J'. NHL SCORES V1NCE COMPAGNONB Angela Tunes Marion Butts' hard-running style has caught the attention of Charger coaches, teammates and opponents. Kings 4, Vancouver 1 C12 Boston 6, Detroit 5 Hartford 4, Minnesota 3 Buffalo 6, Quebec 5 New Jersey 3, St Louis 2 Chicago 7, Toronto 5 Philadelphia 5, Montreal 3 Edmonton 2, Calgary 1 Roundup CIS The 'H' Is Back in Eric, Geyer Is Back With Sockers "There's one word I picture for Erich Geyer.

It's not Wolfman. It's intensity." attention that he doesn't think bothered Geyer a whole lot "They would write stories about him every week." Quinn said. And remember, when he was traded back to the Sockers after a short stint with the Chicago Sting, he had "Wolfman" on the back of his jersey. The Wolfman has returned. This time, to teach.

RONCADY SocfcerPresdent Ten years ago, when Geyer was 29, the coach of his second-division club in Germany told him he was too old to play and cut him. Not being the type to let one man's opinion end his career, Geyer bought a ticket to San Diego. A short time later, Socker Coach Ron Newman was told by a friend that he should have a look at Geyer. Newman wasn't overly enthusiastic. At the time, Newman said: "I looked at Erich's resume, and nothing really impressed me enough to make me want to run around and get him over here.

If he showed up, I would do the courtesy of looking at him." He showed up. But before we get to all this about Geyer actually making the team, there is another Please sec GEYER, C13A By DON PATTERSON SAN DIEGO First, there is the matter of the name. If you look in an old Sockers' media guide you'll find that Erich Geyer, the team's newly appointed assistant coach, used to spell his name Eric. That is not the correct way. It is the way he figured Americans would pronounce it Erich with an has a soft hissing sound at the end, the way people in his native Germany pronounce it Then, there is the nickname.

"The Wolfman." Somebody was watching Geyer eat pig's knuckles in a German restaurant a few years back and told him he was eating like a wolf. Geyer said: "What are you talking about? MIKE DOWNEY: Canadians have been in the Christmas spirit, giving Los Angeles Wayne Gretzky, Mer-vyn Fernandez, Mark Langston and Hubie Brooks. C3 UCLA WINS: Don MacLean scored 26 points and Trevor Wilson had 23 to lead No. 18 Bruins over Cal State Fullerton, 87-75. The Titans made only 31.4 of their shots.

C5 USC WINS: Ronnie Coleman hit a short bank shot, was fouled and added the ensuing free throw to help the Trojans defeat St Francis 76-73. C5 REDSKINS WIN: Mark Rypien passed for 290 yards and one touchdown to lead the Washington Redskins over the Seattle Seahawks, 29-0. C10 BILLS IN ROUT: Jim Kelly passed for two touchdowns in leading the Buffalo Bills to a 37-0 victory over the New York Jets. Cll I'm just hungry." The nickname stuck. The other day, Geyer was saying he never really liked it much.

He refered to it as "That dumb nickname." Midfielder Brian Quinn, a teammate of Geyer's as a rookie during the 83-84 season, isn't buying that for a minute. He recalls the attention Geyer got from it. Socker President Ron Cady says: "There's one word I picture for Erich Geyer. It's not Wolfman. It's intensity.

"If there is one thing I'd like to see us exhibit on the Field it's intensity." That is exactly what Geyer did when he was on the field. A look back. Seahawks Fail to Warm Cockles of Rams' Hearts Here's What Santa Should Have in Bag was the day before 2 15 i 'T; Christmas and all through the house not a playoff spot Saturday had the Seahawks defeated the Washington Redskins. The Redskins won. 29-0.

So now it's up to Ram quarterback Jim Everett and the sideline hand-warmers. The playoff situation: The Rams clinch a wild-card spot if they win. A victory also gives them home-field advantage in a wild-card game against the New York Giants if the Raiders defeat the Giants today and Philadelphia beats Phoenix. Please set RAMS, C10 By CHRIS DUFRESNE TIMES STAFF WRITER FOXBORO. thanks to the Seattle Seahawks, the Rams could only clench their teeth on Saturday.

They were hoping to clinch a playoff spot Shivering in anticipation of today's game against the New England Patriots, the Rams hoped their fate would be sealed before they braved frigid winds at Sullivan Stadium. The Rams could have secured a wild-card THEY'RE DEFWrfELT SAN FRANCISCO 49ERS 13-2 DENVER BRONCOS 11-4 NEW YORK GIANTS 114 CLEVELAND BROWNS. 9-6-1 BUFFALO BILLS 9-7 WIN GETS THEM LOS ANGELES RAMS PHILADELPHIA EAGLES 10-5 MINNESOTA VIKINGS INDIANAPOLIS COLTS 8-7 tf Rama win New England, they would reach the playoffs as a wM cent Even they lose, the Rams wouM make ft 9 Mmesota, PhiaoX-phia or Green Bay loses. Washington already efcranated, but Is Involved ma tiebreaker situation at 1 OS with Green Bay should beat Dates and the Rama that would put the Packers Into the playoffs by conference record. Inert la a two-way tie.

the Rams ere In because they beat Green Bay. I Washington Is Involved. becomes a three-way tie, with conference lecords being the determev tngftjetor. THEY NEED HELP TO GET GREEN BAY PACKERS 9 6 HOUSTON OLERS 9-7 CbMQNNATI BENGALS 8-7 LOS ANGELES RAIDERS MIAMI DOLPHINS 8-7 the Raiders beat the New York ants today, tiey can be a wed card Indejnopoes and Qnunnati lose There's No Tougher Way for Raiders to End Year JIM MURRAY dul-Jabbar. A Bill Laimbeer would da Magic can't take on the league's skyscrapers, the Patrick Ewings, David Robinsons, Akeem Olajuwons by himself.

Give Mike Ditka a rubber room. Give Buddy Ryan a copy of "How to Win Friends And Influence People." Give Oklahoma a football team it can be proud of. Give Bill Walsh one more team to build up. The San Diego Chargers come to mind. Give the Cowboys back to America.

Give Joe Montana the ball. Give Steffi Graf some competition. Give Flipper Anderson a pass that stays up and a tone he can beat Give the Cubs a pennant Give Mark Langston another pitch or a fast outfield so the press cant crow that he's getting a million dollars an inning on his bad nights. Give Larry Bird the outside shot with the playoff on the line Fleese se MURRAY, CIS creature was stirring they were all on the couch watching the Rams and Raiders. All right St Nicholas, you pious old fraud.

Come in and drop your bag. If you're making a list and checking it twice, how about the following for a merry little Christmas? Give the Dodgers a center fielder, they already got enough second basemen and right fielders to start a league. Give boxing another Joe Louis. Give Charlie Whittingham another Sunday Silence. Give Laz Barren another Affirmed.

Give Laffit Pincay the mount on either one of them. Give Chris McCarron the other one. Give the USC Trojans another Mike Garrett or OJ. Simpson or Marcus Allen. Give us back Student Body Right Give the Raiders a quarterback, AI Davis will take it from there.

Give L.A. the Olympics again. Or. rather, give the Olympics LA. Twice in 50 years the city saved it Give Magic Johnson a man in the pivot to play off.

It doesn't have to be another Kareem Ab- EYE OF STORM The Rose Bowl has had a number of controversial and memorable moments over the years and Woody Hayes, the late Ohio State coach, has provided several of them. C3 pull the upset, they need losses by Indianapolis and Cincinnati to reach the playoffs. It's not Mission: Impossible, but it's close. Mort Oldshan of the Gold Sheet figures the odds against the Raiders at 25-L The Raiders were here 11 weeks ago in Art Shell's debut, but that was on a balmy October night against the Jets. Giants Stadium put up green bunting to mask the Giants Blue of the stands.

No camouflage was possible for the Jets themselves, Flease tec RAIDERS, Cll By MARK HEISLER TIMES STAFF WRITER EAST RUTHERFORD. NJ. Baby, it's cold outside, highs predicted in the teens, wind-chill headed for minus numbers, and let's hear a big Gotham welcome for our visitors from Southern California. What's the opposite of a day at the beach? Welcome to the Raiders' Last Stand. They're 6V-point underdogs to the Giants today.

Even if they I I INDEX Morning Briefing C2 Newswire C8 The Day in Sports C14-15 Horse Racing C16 CI I..